Yarn support



Ma 14, 1935. 1 EPPS 2,000,900

' YARN SUPPORT I Filed Feb. 24, 1934 2, Sheets-Sheet l 7 Q I I NVENTORCARL E'PPS ATTORNEYS May 14, 1935. c, E s 2,000,900

YARN SUPPORT Filed Feb. 24, 19:54 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CARL EPPS BYI - v AITORNEYJ yarn Patented May 14, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEion Corporation,

a corporation of Delaware Application February 24, 1934, Serial No.712,748 3 Claims.' (01. 242-130) This invention relates to yarn supportsand has for its object certain improvements in the structure of yarnsupports. The invention relates more particularly to improvements inadjustable multiple position brackets for supporting wound yarn.

In the manufacture of yarns from strands and the like the material iscustomarily wound on a cone, bobbin, cop or similar device. Conewinding, for .example, .is widely employed in the manufacture ofartificial silk yarn. The yarn is wound on tapered or conical shapedpasteboard or paper tubes. The cones of yarn are subsequently unwound inthe making of textile fabrics. In the manufacture of hosiery, forexample, the coned is unwound directly to a knitting machine.

Special devices areemployed to unwind the yarn. The coned yarn must beappropriately supported in order that it may be conveniently andemciently unwound and passed to a knitting machine, or whatever deviceis employed to receive and fabricate the yarn. A number of difficultiesare encountered. The devices employed to support the yarn may not bereadily adaptable to the particular knitting machine employed. It

may be inconvenient to place a new cone of yarn,

for example, in position for unwinding. Also, the coned yarn may beunwound under non-uniform conditions of tension, which frequentlyresults in the formation of knots or kinks in the moving yarn, andcauses a lack of uniformity in the knitted fabric.

As a result of my investigations I have developed a yarn support thatlargely avoids the difliculties just mentioned. The support is readilyadjustable to a great number of different positions that adapts it to beemployed in conjunction with almost any type of knitting machine orother device to receive unwinding yarn. .Means are provided inassociation with the adjustable support for varying and controlling thetension under which yarn is unwound. 1

The improvement briefly contemplates at least a four-link adjustableposition bracket, the first link in the series being a base adapted tosupport a spindle. At least one of the intermediate links is adapted tobe securely fastened to an auxiliary support, such as a knittingmachine. The last link is a ballooning link provided with a yarn guide.A tension device is preferably mounted on the ballooning link to steadythe unwinding yarn. Means are present for tightening the links or jointsto hold the bracket in fixed position.

These and other features of the invention will be more apparent onconsidering the attached drawings, taken in conjunction with thefollowing description, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an adjustable bracket of the invention,showing a cone of yarn mounted in a vertical position for unwindingupwardly; 5

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. l; Figs. 3, 4'and 5 are side elevations ofthe adjustablebracket, showing cones of yarn mounted in various inclinedpositions for unwinding.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the tension device 10 in .one mode ofapplication.

The adjustable multiple position bracket shown comprises a base link 10,two intermediate links H and I2 and a frame or ballooning link I3connected in series. thumb screws l4, l5 and I6 are provided at thepivoted joints of the links, respectively.

The base link-is provided with a spindle i'l, attachable at or near theexterior end of the link by means of a threaded nut l8, which is adaptedto receive a cone of yarn I! mounted on a tapered paper cone 20. Meansare advantageously provided on the spindle for gripping the interior ofthe paper cone, to prevent it from turning and to hold it securely forthe unwinding of the yarn. The cone gripping means employed may, forexample, be of the improved type dis-. closed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 712,747, filed February 24, 1934.

In order to.facilltate the unwinding of the yarn, the base link is alsoadvantageously providedwith a frame or yarn supporting device 2|. Thisdevice may be cylindrical in contour, an elastic fabric yarn support 22on which the yarn itself may rest being stretched at least in partacross the same. The fabric is drawn taut around the perimeter of thesupporting device, and is clamped to the side thereof by means of a ringmember 23 made adjustable by means of a tension spring 24. A circularopening 25 is provided by 4 the fabric for the insertion both of thespindle l1 and the lower end of the paper cone 20 extending beyond thebase of the coned yarn itself. This pad support may, for example, be ofthe type disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No.712,746, filed February 24, 1934.

Both intermediate links II and I2 are provided with threaded holes 26and '21, respectively, which are adapted to receive a complementarysupport member 28. This support member may in turn be secured to theultimate support 29 for the entire bracket structure; for example, aknitting ma chine. Means other than threaded holes 26 and 21 may ofcourse be associated with the intermediate links H and I2 for fasteningpurposes.

Tightening means, such as 15,

' position, inclined upwardly, the unwinding yarn It will be clear fromthe construction shown that either or both of the intermediate links maybe employed to support the entire bracket.

The ballooning link I3 is provided with a 'yarn guide 30 of conventionaldesign, such as a porcelain eyelet. The ballooning link is alsopreferably provided with a tension device 3| of suitable construction.Figs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a tension device in combination with thebracket in accordance with the invention. It comprises an.

extension member 32 securable to the ballooning link by means of a screw33 extending therethrough. The upper end of the extension member isprovided with a. lateral arm 34 securable by means of a threaded screw35. The lateral arm is in turn provided with a yarn guide 36; such as aporcelain eyelet, preferably smaller than the porcelain eyelet 30. Itwill be seen from the conruction illustrated that the porcelain eyeletsan and 36 may be placed in co-axial alignment, or deviated from such analignment to any extent desired simply by rotating the extension member32 on the ballooning link l3; or by shifting the position of the lateralarm 34. In this manner any desired operating tension may be placed onyarn 31 as it is unwound from the cone l9 to, for example, the knittingmachine. If reference is made to Fig. 2, it will be seen that thelateral link 34 has been movedsidewise so that the porcelain guide eyes30 and 36 are offcenter, which places the unwinding yarn under tension.

The yarn may be placed under additional tension by winding it around themember 32, as shown in Fig. 6, with the guide 36 in the positionillustrated or in any other desired position with respect to the guide30. p

The cone of yarn I9 shown in Fig. 1 is in a vertical position forunwinding. Inspection of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 shows the coned yarn invarious inclined positions for unwinding. In the caseof Fig. 3, theconed yarn is supported in a lateral being passed through the tensiondevice. Fig. 4 likewise shows the coned yarn in a lateral position.inclined upwardly. but the tension device is not employed. the unwindingyarn merely being assed through the porcelain eyelet 30' in theballooning link l3. In the case of Fig. 5, the coned yarn is supportedin a lateral and down wardly inclined position, the unwinding yarn beingpassed merely through the yarn guide in the ballooning link.

A comparison of Figs. 1. 3, 4 and 5 will show the adjustable bracketplaced in various positions, both with respect to ultimate support aswell as unwinding. In the case of Fig. 1 the bracket is supportedthrough intermediate link I I to.an inclined support 29 adjacent thebracket. Fig. 3 shows the bracket supported through intermediate link Honto ultimate support 29 in a horizontal position below the bracket.Fig. 4 shows the bracket depending through intermediate link l2 to theultimate support 29 above the bracket. In the case of Fig. 5, thebracket is supported through intermediate link .I 2 to ultimate support29 placed below the bracket.

In operation the bracket is fastened at some convenient place on or inclose proximity to the looning link, move it out of the way, and inserta new cone on the spindle; the base link thus always remaining rigidlylocked to intermediate link II. The ballooning link is then returned toits operating position and fastened by means of thumb screw I6. Afterthreading the guide porcelain eyelet 3|), the cone of yarn is ready forunwinding. In case use is to be made of the tension device 3|, the yarnis likewise threaded through porcelain eyelet 36. The unwinding yarn maythen be placed under appropriate tension by moving the lateral arm 34.It will be seen that the device of the invention offers a number ofdesirable improvements in the operation of unwinding yarn.

I claim:

1. The improvement in a yarn support com prising a four-link adjustableposition bracket, the first link in the series being a base adapted tosupport a spindle, at least one of the second and third intermediatelinks being adapted to be securely fastened to an auxiliary support, thefourth being a ballooning link provided with a yarn guide, a tensiondevice formed by an ex- :tension member secured to the ballooning link,

the upper end of the extension member being provided with a movablelateral arm containing a second yarn guide and means for tightening thelinks at their joints to hold position. v

2. The improvement in a yarn support comprising a bracket provided withat least four connecting links adjustable in substantially the sameplane, the first link in the series being a base adapted to support aspindle, at least one of the second and third intermediate links beingadapted to be securely fastened to an auxiliary support, the fourthbeing a ballooning link provided with a yarn guide, a tension deviceformed by an extension member secured to ing link, the upper end of theextension member being provided with a movable lateral arm containing asecond yarn guide and means for tightening the links at their joints tohold the bracket in fixed position.

3. A yarn support comprising an adjustableposition link bracket having asupporting link securable to an auxiliary support, a link at one side ofsaid supporting link adapted to support a spindle, a ballooning link atthe other side of said supporting bracket, all of said links beingadjustably connected and capable of swinging in substantially the samehorizontal plane, a yarn guide carried by the ballooning link, a tensiondevice carried by the ballooning link, said tension device alsoincluding a yarn guide, and the yarn guide of the tension device beinglocated further from the supporting link than the yarn guide of theballooning link.

CARL EPPS.

the balloon- I the bracket in fixed

